Chapter 51: The Second Round (Part 1)

On the second day of the tournament, the first match of the morning featured Hou Mo and Sui Houyu.

The weather suddenly turned cooler today, with a breeze carrying a hint of mint, blowing a cool breeze on the body. The chill left a lingering chill that hinted at the arrival of winter.

Both Hou Mo and Sui Houyu waited on the court dressed in sportswear, only removing their jackets right before the match began. Their black tracksuits clashed with their newly sponsored white sneakers with a light blue base—an odd combination that only their looks managed to pull off.

On the other side, Tang Yao and Gu Libo were also resting.

Gu Libo kept his gaze fixed on the two opponents and commented: “That Sui Houyu is constantly moving, even bouncing lightly in place without thinking. He’s incredibly restless, yet his stamina holds up. His slim figure makes it feel strange.”

“Must be full of energy, right?” Tang Yao replied nonchalantly while taking a sip of water.

“His serves aren’t as sharp as Hou Mo’s, but they coordinate better in this formation. It’s clear they haven’t practiced much with Hou Mo’s serve style, so things will likely fall apart mid-match. We can exploit that.”

“Got it.”

“For this match, you can be as aggressive as you want with the balls to provoke their rookie.”

Tang Yao chuckled and asked, “That easy to provoke him?”

“Absolutely. His temper is terrible—he’s like a firecracker, ready to explode at any moment.”

“Alright.”

“And the rookie keeps glaring at Hou Mo. Their relationship doesn’t look good. Hou Mo always resisted playing doubles. It seems like the coach forced him into it, and he grudgingly agreed, but they clearly don’t get along. It’s clear the two of them aren’t in harmony. We can use that.”

They didn’t get along to begin with, and their lack of teamwork only made things worse.

If they start arguing mid-match and stop cooperating, it would be highly advantageous for them

Their lack of rapport, coupled with low coordination, would play to their advantage.

Meanwhile, Sui Houyu, who had been glaring at Hou Mo, clenched his fists in anger.

Hou Mo had just said something obnoxious: “See Gu Libo over there? Before you showed up, he was considered the ‘prettiest face’ on the tennis court. But now? You’ve stolen the title. You’re the ‘flower of the northeast tennis scene.’ Even among the women’s team, no one looks as stunning as you.”

“Can you shut up? Or we’ll get disqualified before we even start.”

“Just stating facts. You look better than him.”

Sui Houyu kicked Hou Mo’s folding chair. It wobbled, and Hou Mo almost got caught between its collapsing sides.

Hou Mo barely maintained his balance in a half-squat and laughed: “Look! Gu Libo’s still watching us.”

“I noticed.”

“Can’t you at least pretend to be more affectionate with me? Otherwise, it’s obvious we don’t get along.” Hou Mo straightened his chair as he spoke.

“Are we close?”

“Who sleeps next to me every night?”

“…”

Gu Libo, for all his refined looks, was already known as one of the more delicate northern athletes. 

His features were refined, his complexion fair, and his demeanor polite and quiet—earning him the nickname “the flower of the men’s team.”

But then Sui Houyu showed up in this competition.

If he were in the entertainment industry, he’d be the ultimate heartthrob—his face alone could attract legions of fans. 

But to the other athletes, he looked too delicate to be a real man. He was a “sissy” that lacked the muscular build they associated with masculinity.

Fortunately, the sports world values skill. After one match, they wouldn’t say anything more about Sui Houyu. After all, his skills weren’t lacking, and he wasn’t timid either—on the contrary, he was both cool and sharp, without a hint of softness.

Still, Gu Libo couldn’t help feeling a little defeated—Sui Houyu’s face really was a showstopper.

You could say he became famous after just one battle.

Hou Mo changed the subject: “You’ve got a nickname now, too.”

“Who’s giving me random nicknames?”

“Nothing we can do. I don’t like being called ‘Cheap Monkey,’ but they still won’t stop. Even Liu Mo didn’t like being called the ‘Black Tibetan Mastiff’ at first, but he got used to it.”

“So, what’s my nickname?”

“Liquid Cat.”

“Didn’t you come up with that?”

Hou Mo thought for a moment, then sheepishly admitted, “Yeah, I was just joking, but I didn’t think it would stick.”

“Heh.” Sui Houyu scoffed. “Cheap Monkey and Liquid Cat—two animals.”

“We should’ve gone with something related to fish. With the ‘Mo’ in my name, we could’ve been the ‘Lazy Fish Duo. ^[1]’ You could’ve been ‘Biting Shark.’” In truth, Hou Mo thought “Mermaid” would be more fitting, but he didn’t dare suggest it. Otherwise, the next kick wouldn’t be aimed at the chair.

“Why ask to change nicknames?”

“I doubt they’ll take it seriously. They might just switch to calling you a mudfish…”

Just then, they were called over for a photo session. Hou Mo and Sui Houyu took off their jackets.

While Sui Houyu was removing his track pants, Hou Mo reached out to help, only to be rejected: “It’ll make me feel sleepy.”

“Okay then.” Hou Mo looked up and saw Gu Libo still staring at them. He couldn’t help but feel annoyed by him.

Being watched so intently was uncomfortable. Hou Mo liked strategy, but he has never stared openly at others. It felt rude.

When it came time to flip a coin, Hou Mo won and chose the side that favored their strategy.

Gu Libo opted to serve first.

After Gu Libo reached the sideline, he held the ball in one hand, with the ball facing outward, and his hand resting near his lips as he quietly explained the tactic to Tang Yao. Since Tang Yao was slightly taller and Gu Libo’s voice was soft, Tang Yao had to lean down a bit to hear him.

Hou Mo and Sui Houyu couldn’t see what Gu Libo was saying, after all, his mouth was blocked.

They suddenly felt a bit foolish about the strategy they had discussed earlier.

Gu Libo served the ball, bouncing it twice with his racket, and turned his head to look across the court, expressionless as he made his serve.

As a player who excels at targeting specific spots, his serve was incredibly precise. This time, he aimed the ball toward the gap between Hou Mo and Sui Houyu.

He had noticed the lack of coordination between the two. With such a ball, there would inevitably be a moment of hesitation where they wouldn’t know who should receive it.

As expected, both Hou Mo and Sui Houyu moved toward the same spot. Realizing it, Hou Mo quickly reminded him: “Cover the net!”

Without hesitation, Sui Houyu pivoted swiftly to the front of the net, stopping abruptly and spinning around, displaying an unnaturally agile body.

No wonder they called him the liquid cat.

Hou Mo returned the serve while adjusting his position, constantly paying attention to Sui Houyu’s placement.

After a few exchanges, their positioning shifted again, with Hou Mo in the front and Sui Houyu behind.

Just as Hou Mo had said, they needed to adapt to each other’s plays quickly, or it would be tough to regain the advantage. That’s why Hou Mo had deliberately chosen the favorable side, giving them the opportunity to serve first.

Their opponents were seasoned, ranked in the top five nationwide, technically skilled, well-coordinated, and tactically sharp—a formidable team.

Gu Libo’s serves carried heavy topspin, fast and with high rotation, forcing opponents into a defensive position, leaving them with no choice but to block the ball with their rackets. Even if they managed to block it, the ball would keep spinning upward, making it hard to control the trajectory.

This topspin often caused the ball to bounce high after landing.

Once Hou Mo familiarized himself with this, he started intercepting Gu Libo’s shots at the net, switching positions with Sui Houyu again. High-quality volleys caused the ball to spin downward, making it harder for their opponents to anticipate.

Though Gu Libo seemed to dominate his service game, he wasn’t able to truly gain the upper hand.

This forced Gu Libo to admit—Hou Mo was indeed a tough opponent.

For the final serve of his game, Gu Libo bounced the ball while looking at the two opponents. His expression remained that same weary, world-weary look, as if life was too much to bear, yet he continued playing tennis diligently.

This serve was just as fast as the others. It appeared to be aimed at Hou Mo near the net but landed a step farther back. To Sui Houyu, it seemed like Hou Mo wouldn’t be able to reach it in time. He rushed forward to swing his racket, only for it to collide with Hou Mo’s racket mid-swing.

Sui Houyu’s swing was a fraction too late.

It seemed his racket had hit something—he vaguely noticed it had struck Hou Mo’s hand.

They failed to block the ball, and Gu Libo scored.

Sui Houyu’s heart tightened, and he quickly asked: “Are you okay?”

He stepped closer, reaching out to check Hou Mo’s hand, but Hou Mo pulled away: “I’m fine. Focus on the game.”

Physical contact between them could trigger Sui Houyu’s drowsiness, so they needed to be especially careful.

The two returned to the bench for a brief rest.

Sui Houyu kept staring at Hou Mo’s hand as he watched him take out a spray from his bag and apply it to his hand.

“Can you keep playing?” Sui Houyu couldn’t help but ask again.

“Yes.” Hou Mo brushed it off, shifting the conversation. “Gu Libo has definitely figured out our weakness.”

“Yeah.”

“Keep your head in the game.” As he spoke, Hou Mo discreetly clenched and released his hand out of Sui Houyu’s sight—it hurt a bit.

Sui Houyu’s temper was unpredictable.

If Sui Houyu found out that Hou Mo’s hand hurt or felt frustrated by Gu Libo’s tactics, it would affect his mood and performance.

Hou Mo had to manage it on his own.

In the audience.

Deng Yiheng asked anxiously: “Is Senior Brother injured?!”

Coach Wang was about to stand but hesitated, worried he might block others’ view. Instead, he crouched to get a better look and then sat back down: “I don’t think it’s serious. If it were, he would’ve withdrawn from the match. He knows his limits.”

Deng Yiheng disagreed: “If it were a singles match, he’d have stepped down. But in doubles… Senior Brother might push through.”

Coach Wang looked increasingly nervous, resting his chin in his hand, and asked: “How are Sang Xian and Ran Shu doing?”

At the same time, Sang Xian and his team were also playing on another court. They split into two groups, with Su Anyi and Shen Junjing going to watch Sang Xian and Ran Shu’s match.

Coach Wang and Deng Yiheng stayed here to watch Hou Mo and Sui Houyu’s match, while Deng Yiheng kept in touch with Shen Junjing via phone.

“Shen Junjing says Sang Xian’s team might actually win.”

At that moment, Lu Yanxin arrived with a bag, sat beside Deng Yiheng, glanced at the court, and casually asked: “Why is Hou Mo playing with his left hand?”

When Deng Yiheng and Coach Wang heard the question, they both stood up at the same time, as if they were about to storm the court, startling Lu Yanxin.

As the game resumed, it was Sui Houyu’s turn to serve.

During the first serve, no one noticed anything unusual. But after Hou Mo hit a few shots, Sui Houyu realized that Hou Mo had switched to holding the racket with his left hand.

Sui Houyu immediately sensed that something was off with Hou Mo’s condition.

“Do you need me to take on more of the workload?” Sui Houyu asked after finishing a point.

“No need. I can play with my left hand too.” Hou Mo replied.

“Really?”

“Really, I can do it all” Hou Mo answered with a bright smile.

Seeing Sui Houyu’s expression begin to fall, Hou Mo had the urge to reach out and ruffle his hair, but he held back: “It’s really fine.”

“You still have singles matches coming up.”

“Then massage it for me when we go back.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the court.

As Tang Yao returned to his seat, he glanced across the court and chuckled softly: “Those two really don’t get along. If they break up after this match, won’t Wang Xuefu lose it? His dream of doubles glory will be shattered.”

“That’s not our concern. All we need to do is win.” 

“Yeah, with Hou Mo injured, they’ve already lost. There’s no way they can recover from this.”

To Tang Yao, Sui Houyu seemed hopeless. How could someone who had only trained for a month have the nerve to compete?

On Sui Houyu’s next serve, he kept it ordinary to lighten Hou Mo’s burden.

Unexpectedly, this gave Tang Yao an opportunity to show off. He rushed to the net, leapt into the air, and slammed the ball down with a powerful overhead smash. The ball struck the court hard and bounced back sharply.

Sui Houyu dashed forward to return the shot, but he moved too hastily. His return hit the net—it was poorly angled.

With Gu Libo’s serve in the first game, they had already lost a set.

Now, with Sui Houyu’s serve, they were down by two points in a row.

Sui Houyu glanced at Tang Yao, who stood at the net with a smug grin, exuding mockery.

Pressing his lips together, Sui Houyu picked up the ball again, tossed it, and served.

Tang Yao jumped at the net once more, seemingly ready to repeat his trick with another overhead smash.

But just as he looked up, he was stunned to see that Sui Houyu was already in position to intercept. His speed was so fast that it made Tang Yao wonder if he had teleported.

Typically, moving at such speed makes it hard to stop in time, but Sui Houyu managed a sharp halt before delivering a powerful shot. The ball shot straight at Gu Libo’s face.

Gu Libo raised his racket to block, sending the ball flying off at an angle and landing out of bounds.

Tang Yao turned back to look, then glanced at Sui Houyu again.

Sui Houyu stood at the net, chin slightly raised, a cold smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth. In a low voice, he sneered: “Try that a few more times, and I’ll make sure his face gets smashed.”

Tang Yao was startled. He glanced at the referee, who seemed unaware of the provocative remark.

It was all Gu Libo’s fault for speaking quietly so often—it had trained Tang Yao to catch soft-spoken words like that.

Sui Houyu returned to his serving position. Before serving, he shot a contemptuous look at Tang Yao, as if saying, “Wanna try again?”

Tang Yao felt provoked, instinctively gritting his teeth.

Two fiery tempers clashed, each waiting to see who would break first.

With Sui Houyu serving, it gave Tang Yao more chances to exchange shots with him.

Tang Yao, a power player, usually added force to his returns. But after a few exchanges, he realized that Sui Houyu’s strength wasn’t lacking, and his movements were surprisingly agile.

Using his teamwork with Gu Libo, Tang Yao faked a move to switch positions, then swung with a backhand attack aimed at Sui Houyu. Sui Houyu had already moved in one direction but still managed to twist mid-air and return the shot.

He spun in the air, landing gracefully, as if performing a clean dance move, his landing light and effortless.

What was going on?

This rookie wasn’t as weak as expected?

Looking closer, Tang Yao noticed that Sui Houyu’s aggressive play seemed to be protecting Hou Mo, reducing his burden.

And as for Hou Mo—once known for his fiercely individualistic playstyle—he was surprisingly cooperative now.

When Sui Houyu played aggressively, Hou Mo would retreat, only covering a third of the court.

It was an unspoken coordination.

Tang Yao glanced back at Gu Libo. Gu Libo covered his mouth with his hand and said: “Don’t worry. I’m certain they don’t get along. This won’t last long.”